The other day while playing with the dogs across the street at Haliburton Farm I noticed that there were new buds on the tree peony in front of the house. This plant has been blooming all summer but it seemed to have begun again even as the frost came on. I felt it was my duty to rescue these buds and bring them into my kitchen to see what they might do. They seemed to have been affected by the cold as they didn't open up quite the way they usually do.
This back view shows what was happening. The inner parts is ready to see the world but the petals are still stuck together in front. This one did finally open but within hours the stamens began dropping, followed quickly by the petals. But what a beautiful sight to see its life force pushing through!
I'm glad I rescued these flowers even if it was only for a short burst of beauty.
Oh, that back view is stunning! So much visual interest there. I love that you rescued them from the cold.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that they had a few hours to bloom. The back view was indeed wonderful and if you cropped it just right I wonder how many people could figure out what it was. That said I am very interested in the first photo, kind of a Dutch Master look about it !
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
My darling sister -- I think what you have discovered is not a peony, but a Romneya Coulteri, also known as a Poached Egg Flower. They are magnificent fall-flowering eccentrics, and the buds continue to emerge late into the Fall. You've happily found some which have soaked up the warmth from our mild October.
ReplyDeleteA day without a blog from you is like a cloudy, rainy November day. Jan